David R. Ellis

In honor of the 10th anniversary of New Line Cinema’s “Snakes on a Plane,” screenwriter John Heffernan looks back on the cult film’s genesis, its evolution and the rather unique place it holds in Hollywood lore.

When people ask me about “Snakes on a Plane,” I get two questions. What is Samuel L. Jackson really like? And where did the idea come from? The answer to the first question is easy. Samuel L. Jackson is the coolest guy in the world. Period.

The second one, though? That one’s a little more complicated. The project was born in 1999, and where most people at the time were worrying if the Y2K computer bug...

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In honor of the 10th anniversary of New Line Cinema’s “Snakes on a Plane,” screenwriter John Heffernan looks back on the cult film’s genesis, its evolution and the rather unique place it holds in Hollywood lore.
When people ask me about “Snakes...

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David R. Ellis, 60, a journeyman director and former stuntman whose credits include the 2006 thriller "Snakes on a Plane," died Monday morning in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was in pre-production on the upcoming film "Kite"...